What to plant

We have a sunken garden - in the centre of which we have installed a pond. The rest of the area is bare soil for now. We want to plant a low groundcover - nothing flashy to detract from the pond and waterlil;ies. Any suggestions?

2 Jul, 2008

Answers

What about Lysimachia congestiflora - seen at RHS Rosemoor last week. It is a prostrate evergreen plant with beautiful yellow flowers at this time of year. Not invasive as some of the Lysimachias are. You could plant other prostrate or low-growers between it to give you a change - e.g. there's a lovely blue Convulvulus sabatius (NOT like bindweed apart from the shape of the flowers!). I don't know how high you want your plants to grow, so I have only suggested very low-growers..

Thank you Spritzhenry, for your quick and knowledgeable reply. I should have mentioned that, to keep to a theme in the garden, any flowers should be red or pale pink. Does the Lysimachia come in those colours?

Hallo again - the Convulvulus is' C.althaeoides' - very pretty. I have come up with another couple of suggestions...'Anthyllis montana' - pink and spreading to 24". 'Gypsophila repens "Rosa Schonheit"' - spread to 20". There is also the beautiful little Geranium cinereum 'Ballerina' (pink) which forms more of a small clump but could go between the others that you choose. If the area is sunny, you could also select the right colours of Helianthemum for your edge. There are pink, red and stripy ones! Am I any nearer to finding something for you?